Fading Away
by RirikuH
Summary: 'Is she really that special to you'...'More than me? The person you grew up with'...'No one cares about me anymore'...'Not even you' MEIKO was the shining star of Crypton once... Not that anyone cares now, yes? Or is there one person to prove this wrong


_She took everything from me. Everything_

The woman looked around her, carefully taking in the surroundings, before clutching her head in pain.

_My popularity_

She had drank more than usual, if that was possible, the night before. Yet, she somehow managed to remember why she did.

_My fans_

Letting out a dragged sigh, the woman rolled over in her bed, and tapped a button on her table. The curtains shut closed, allowing the room to drown in darkness. Meiko sighed in relief as the dim pounding in her eyes stopped.

_The title as 'Crypton's golden girl'_

She felt like throwing up, really badly, but her strong stomach allowed her to stay in bed without any casualties. She rubbed her painful headache with a hand.

_Even my songs_

There was a brief moment of peace, save for her headache, and it gave her a minute to strengthen up herself mentally, she knew that the worse was still to come.

_But I don't really care, it didn't matter too much to me_

It hurt a lot, but she knew that one day in bed should be good. Meiko decided to take a sick leave today, but it wasn't unusual of her to miss work. Not like she had a lot of work anyways.

_I don't care about those things. Except_

Nausea hit harder, and she inhaled her stomach, biting her tongue at the dizzy spell.

_Maybe…_

Meiko shuddered in an effort to keep quiet at all costs.

_him_

Unknown to her, a single tear managed to escape her shut eyes. She rose suddenly, and made quick strides to the bathroom, only to lean heavily on the sink.

_Miku could have anything she wants_

She gulped dryly, hoping that made the tiniest of liquid would seep into her parched throat. Of course, it didn't happen, she didn't expect it to, it was just hopeful thinking.

_Everything is hers, the whole world even_

Meiko splashed her face in cold water, shivering as it touched her, but relaxed in ease as it's sharpness fought the queasy feelings.

Managing to feel a bit better, she walked out the door, still clutching her forehead lightly. It was morning, and the others would be downstairs eating breakfast. She would go downstairs later.

_Even him_

"Mei-chan, it's morning, are you ok?"

The familiar voice made her bite her lip angrily, yet, she knew she was going to face it sooner or later.

"fine" her voice was shaky, but at least it was comprehendible.

"let me guess, hangover?" he asked knowingly, the wood of the door leaned inwards, telling her that he was leaning on the door.

"got that right" she mumbled, irritation burning off her words.

_Why does it have to be him?_

"you sound angry, wanna talk?" Kaito stood on the other side of the door, refusing to move.

_Wasn't he meant for me?_

"I'm fine.." her voice died off as her head sent needle sharp explosions into her brain. She flinched, her eyes giving away a few modestly sized tears. "just the usual headaches"

"liar"

_It was better without her_

"you sound off today" he continued, "you sound… different"

"how, I'm always like this" she replied, walking up to the door. But she didn't open it, she just sat down, a blanket wrapped around her shivering body.

_Before her, we were always together_

"not really, you're usually groggy, you seem upset right now" Kaito kept the conversation going, talking quietly as not to disturb her headache.

"I'm alright" Meiko sighed, her breathing hoarse.

"then say why you didn't stop yesterday," he demanded, his voice gaining an edge, "you usually stop drinking after you get tired, but yesterday you were nearly asleep and still trying to drown yourself"

_I remember when this house was only the two of us_

Several footsteps came from behind the door.

"Kaito! Is she out!"

Meiko cringed at the noise, her eyes screwing shut at the loud voice.

"ssshhh, Mei-chan needs quiet right now" he told Rin, there was another set of footsteps, but they were fading. The younger girl had gone back downstairs. "I still want my answer"

"I don't understand what you mean" She replied through gritted teeth, her ears still ringing painfully.

"you do" the bluenette replied lightly, his voice becoming soft, "you're very alert"

_It was lonely just the two of us, but we always had each other, right?_

"I just felt like challenging myself" She lied expertly, "see how many bottles I could drink before bed"

"Mei-chan, you can't lie to me" he had a frown in his words, "I know you well"

_Don't you miss the time we had without her?_

"too well" Meiko hissed softly, her voice too low for his ears, then her voice rose. "I'm not lying"

She felt her parched throat tighten suddenly, she was choking up.

"what's wrong?" concern leaked from his voice, but the door was locked and he knew better than to break down the door.

"nothing" her voice was feeble, but she blamed it on the hangover. Her body began to shiver more violently.

"Kaito-kun, is Meiko-nee in there?"

She felt her insides swirl and she rose to go to the bathroom. Miku was outside of her door. She had to throw up.

"she's alright, go downstairs, Miku-chan" his reply still reached her ears, gnawing at her heart when she heard the silky tone in his voice. The same tone that was used to be hers.

_Is she really that special to you?_

Meiko hunched over the sink, her vision was crooked due to the dizzy spell. She didn't understand. She didn't hate Miku, never, the girl was sweet and gentle with an angel's voice to match. She loved Miku like a little sister, but recently just the thought of the teal headed girl annoyed her.

_More than me? The person you grew up with?_

Perhaps it was jealousy.

She felt her stomach buck, and she groaned loudly, moving over to the toilet seat. With her head aching, and her stomach cramping, it was surprising that her knees didn't give way. The world was beginning to spin, her breathing was getting harder to get, her stomach swirled. Meiko knew she was crying, she knew she that her mouth was wailing softly, but she didn't care.

_She took everything from me!_

Bile rose up, and she could smell it, she had thrown up. Disgusted, she flushed the toilet, she rose back to the sink. Her knees shaking, and her body shivering, but she felt a little better. Her head had stopped buzzing obnoxiously, and her stomach settled, but it still hurt. She cleaned herself up, and the foul smell disappeared.

_They even replaced me with someone new; Sakine_

This was the worst hangover Meiko has ever had since her 'birth'. Usually, she'd be bedridden with a minor pulsing in her head and the need to drink water, but now, this was disastrous.

"Mei-chan? Are you ok?" Kaito's worried words reached her ears, and she resisted the urge to scream. "everyone's worried about you"

_No one cares about me anymore_

After she felt strong in herself, she wobbly walked to her bed, curling on the sheets, allowing the sudden rest to ease into her sore muscles.

"Mei-chan, please open the door" he kept saying, she wanted to shut out his voice.

"where's Miku?" her voice was ragged, but it held a sharp quality. There was a brief silence.

_Not even you_

"Miku-chan is downstairs with everyone else, Mei-chan, let me talk to you" he pleaded.

"can't get up" she lied, muffling her voice with a pillow. Meiko could open the door, but she didn't want to talk to him at the moment.

"Meiko,"

That caught her attention, he hasn't called her by her full name since… Miku came along. That must've been two years since he's used her name.

"let me talk to you"

Something in his words made her shiver. Kaito was usually easy-going and lighthearted, but now he sounded commanding and stern. It nerved her. She got up, stumbling over to the door, her fingers fumbled with the doorknob, but she opened it without much hassle.

"Kaito" she breathe, looking at the man in front of her, her scarlet eyes concealing the hurt with confusion. "come in"

He smiled gently and slipped into the room, she leaned heavily on the door, making it snap close loudly. She flinched instinctively at the noise, but continued to lock the door.

"you look horrible" he commented, "did you have any water?"

"ran out" she replied, turning around slowly to meet his dark blue eyes. They were filled with worry, and care. She felt exasperated. "why aren't you downstairs with Miku?"

He seemed taken back by this statement. Kaito blinked in surprise, his head tilting in confusion, narrowing his eyebrows together.

"why should I be? I'm not needed down there" he didn't understand what she meant. It frustrated her, why couldn't he get it?

"you're not needed here" she mumbled, stumbling over to her bed. She felt a hand brush against her, supporting her unstable structure.

"yes, I am" he sighed, "you're just too stubborn to admit it"

"perhaps" she admitted grudgingly, sitting down on the mattress so that she was facing him. The dim room gave enough light to see him sit next to her. She felt a shock travel up her arm as he touched her hand.

"you're so distant now" he said suddenly, "you don't talk as much as before"

"what're you saying?" she asked, blushing lightly as he began to knead her palm.

"I'm saying, you don't talk to me as much anymore" he looked at her square in the eyes, "I feel like you're avoiding me"

"I'm not" she denied, trying to look away, but his eyes seemed irritated and hurt, they captivated her.

"yes you are, you're always try getting away from being involved with me" he pressed, "why?"

"I didn't realize" Meiko mumbled, tearing her eyes away from his, she looked sadly at the floor.

"yes you did, it was purposely" he murmured, pressing on her hand. "please tell me why, do you hate me?"

"no!" she looked at him in disbelief, wincing slightly as her body ached in the sudden movement. Still, she looked at him like he was crazy. "I can't hate you!"

"then why, Meiko?" he asked, looking frustrated, he got up suddenly, running his fingers through his dark blue hair. "every time I talk to you, the conversation is so short. Every time I walk with you, you go in the other direction. I'm so confused!"

"why should you care?" she blurted, her mouth started moving on it's own. "you already have Miku, why would care for me?"

Kaito looked at her in shock. His fingers hovered over his head, blue eyes widened. She grit her teeth, her throat letting out a growl of annoyance.

"your _princess _is more important than me, isn't she?" she spat, her vision growing blurry. "she's the one everyone wants anyways! No one cares about a bitchy old woman"

"Mei-chan…" his voice was soft, "a-are you jealous?"

"so what if I am!" she snapped, standing up suddenly. Her aching body succumbing into rage. "so what if I am jealous! It doesn't change _anything_! You will always love her, and not me!"

"Mei-chan, Meiko." he put a hand on her shoulder, but she brushed it off angrily. He didn't give up. "Miku is just my little sister, I don't like her like that"

"stop! Kaito, you do _everything_ with her now!" she was not going to give in either. "Everything! Even Master puts Miku in videos with you! I'm not even considered" Meiko choked back a sob, yet her watery eyes betrayed her.

"yes you are"

"I AM NOT!" she screamed, her already weakened body shook tremendously, just barely able to support the stress in her. "you know it, Kaito! You're always happy to do those things with her! Th- I see it. It's all there"

"what is?" he asked gently, deciding to see what made her think this way.

"I see it" she repeated, her voice growing quiet, she put her hands over her tearing eyes, "laughter, smiling, teasing, nagging. It's all there… what we used to do." suddenly, she let out a hallow laugh, tears finally spilling. Yet, she continued this humorless chuckle. " but I suppose it's more fun with her, isn't it? She's newer, prettier and kinder. The perfect one for you, right?"

"Mei-chan…"

"get out, Kaito, I'm tired" she said, a sad smirk on spread on her wet cheeks. She shook her head with a scoff, yet it came out like a wheeze, "just get out, you're not helping at all"

"no."

Kaito stood there, looking at her with guilty dark blue eyes. Yet he was still there, determined. "not until I get my say in things"

"your say?" she cackled again, warm tears cooled on her cheeks, before being overlapped by fresher drops. "what's more?"

"I'm still here, I haven't forgotten you, and I haven't replaced you" he told her, "how could I?"

"that's a lie" she felt the tears fall thicker, yet she made no move to wipe her tears. "you will, like everyone else. No one knows who MEIKO is"

"I know who you are," Kaito walked towards her slowly, she didn't back away. She scoffed again, turning away from him.

"you and who?"

"Not everyone likes Miku-chan either" wrong words.

"No one is perfect! Did you just realize that" her fist clenched, her body at the brink of collapsing from all the negative energy. "of course you haven't"

"I know, but just because some people don't know you, doesn't mean everyone who does doesn't like you" he said, ignoring what he had said earlier. "you don't need to be jealous of anyone, because you are the best of them all"

"says who?"

"says me" he argued, "because you aren't Hatsune Miku, that's you are the best"

Meiko's heart beat just a little faster. It's a been a long time since she was told she was better than someone else. Perhaps it has been a little too long. The old sense of pride rushed back in her, and she could've sworn that her chest swelled a little bit.

"the best?" she echoed hopefully, looking away from him. His footsteps came closer. "why?"

"you are the very best" he assured. She gasped softly as she heard how close his voice was.

Before she knew it, he had her in a strong yet tender embrace. His arms wrapping around her abdomen, his face nudging her shoulder gently. She could feel his eyelashes brushing against her neck, tickling her playfully, she felt his lips brush against her neck as well, making her shiver. At last, her body decided it had enough.

Meiko's strength left her, and she leaned heavily on the man, sighing as he held her tighter, supporting her body easily. She felt herself being set on the bed, she curled up naturally, feeling the aches and pains affecting her sharply. Kaito sat down on the edge of the mattress, his body at angel so that he was gazing down at her as he brushed her chocolate brown hair with his slim fingers.

"Kaito…" she muttered sleepily, and he smiled warmly back. Her body couldn't but her mind blushed as he leaned closer. He kissed her softly, before pulling away just as fast. It was short, yes, but pure and true.

"Rest well, Meiko"

**A/N**

**As embarrassing as this was, I cannot say that I didn't enjoy writing it. I am a follower of Kaito/Meiko, and I don't like Kaito/Miku at all. Not one bit. I'm sorry, but they just don't seem… good, at all. Miku is a sixteen year old girl while Kaito is a twenty two year old man. I agree when you say age is just a number, but seriously, how is **_**this **_**a good couple? Please excuse my ranting.**


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